i have been called to serve a mission for the church of jesus christ of latter-day saints for eighteen months in the nicaragua managua south mission. my family has agreed to post my weekly emails here, as well as any comments or posts they wish to add.

Tuesday, June 2, 2015

el 04 de Mayo

heejolay! another week!

our biggest challenge this week was getting all of the papers together for two different weddings, and making sure that one of the couples didn't realize that they were getting married again. let me explain: one couple, was married by a lawyer about eight years ago, but never went and registered their wedding, which actually finishes the whole process. she didn't want to go through the whole process again, but it was cheaper to just have them married again, then pay the large fine for each year that a constancia, or the paper that says that you are married, goes without being registered. so we played chase the investigator to get all the paperwork together, and get copies of it all, for the lawyer so that she could have it all ready the day of. that was just a very large pain in the neck...

our largest concern was setting a time for three of our baptisms, especially when he works every other day, and she starts a new job this week, it was just really stressful. but somehow we got it all together, got them married, and we have four more baptisms in the book. but more about that later!

our biggest success was bringing to pass four baptisms, my first family! we helped married Jefri and Anaí, and then Jefri was baptized! His picture is during their wedding, where I missed the kiss again!! then later that evening we married Eli and Marjurí, and baptized them and their daughter, Jennifer! That baptism was a grand experience, because while waiting for the lawyer, our mission president showed up! talk about a hike of the nerves! i ended up shouting my message because it was down pouring outside, but we had a great service, with quite a few members, and they couldn't be more excited to be baptized!

my favorite person is hermano jefri, because he loves his family so much, and loves his new wife even more. he has a goal to attend the temple in one year, and we are preparing his wife, anaí, to help him complete with this goal!

a tender mercy would have to be the opportunity we had this week to do divisions as a zone. all together, we changed companions for a day, changed the standards of excellence, and went to work. hermana tadeo, the hermana training leader, and i worked here in loma linda, and we had ten lessons, five lessons with less actives, and 46 contacts. echando fuego!

this week we are looking forward to working with our new converts, in the hopes that we can find some new investigators to teach.

one of our goals is to place a baptismal date everyday. and one that will stick.

a scripture this week, will actually be a saying. and this is something that i love!

it goes something like this: "It is possible that in a moment of weakness, you and I exclaim: Nobody understands; Nobody knows. Perhaps no human being knows, but the Son of God perfectly knows and understands, for He felt and bore our burdens before us; and because He paid the ultimate price and carry that burden. He understands perfectly and can reach out His arm of mercy in many stages of life. The hand can set us, touch us, succor us, literally run to us and strengthen us."

I love the promise this brings. that the Lord understands it all. No matter what happens. He understands.

lots of love, hermana graves

{this was my first Eskimo, the only type of ice cream really available here. and it was great!}